Advancing Male Circumcision to Prevent HIV in Kenya

EngenderHealth is pleased to announce that it is partnering with
Family Health International and the University of Illinois at Chicago on
the Male Circumcision Consortium, which launched November 24 in Kenya.
The Consortium will improve and expand access to voluntary medical
circumcision services in Kenya as part of an overall strategy to reduce
HIV infections in men.

Male circumcision is gaining recognition as an important practice for
limiting the spread of HIV across Sub-Saharan Africa. Several studies
have shown that being circumcised dramatically reduces a man’s chances
of acquiring HIV during sex with a female partner who has the virus. The
challenge now is to transform this clinical knowledge into a public
health strategy that can save millions of lives.

Working closely with the Kenyan government, the Consortium will focus
on Nyanza Province—which has the country’s highest HIV prevalence and
low rates of male circumcision. The experience and knowledge the
Consortium gains in Kenya will offer positive lessons for similar
programs in other countries.

“Expanding male circumcision services is a great opportunity to
engage men to take greater responsibility for HIV prevention. Reaching a
population that does not usually access health services, we can
maximize chances to educate men about behavior change and the importance
of shared sexual decision-making, which would improve health outcomes
for both men and women.”

Given the large number of men who are expected to want circumcision
and the shortage of skilled health care professionals, EngenderHealth
will develop a national training plan to increase the number of medical
staff able to provide safe male circumcision services. EngenderHealth
will also conduct research to assess the safety, efficacy, and cost of
having nonphysicians (e.g., nurses) provide male circumcision, as well
as study community outreach models.

The Consortium’s activities complement EngenderHealth’s other work in
Nyanza to improve male circumcision services, supported by the APHIA II project.